Pipe-making appabatus



Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

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W. IVI. NECKERIVIAN. PIPE MAKING APPARATUS.

y APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, |912.

1,312, 1 97. Patented Aug. 1919.

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WIT ESSES WILLIAM M. NECKERMAN, OF YOUNGSTOWN', OHIO.

PIPE-MAKING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 5, 1919.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 597,193, led December 14, 1910. This application led July 2, 1912. Serial No. 707,285.

T 0 all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. NECKER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Making Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing metal pipes from heated skelp.

In the manufacture of butt-weld pipes by the common method, an assistant called a hook-runner connects the pipe-drawing tongs by means of a hook to the' endless draw-chain on the draw-bench after the Welder has fastened the tongs to the skelp. The hook-runner follows the hook toward the rear of the draw-bench until the skelp has been pulled entirely through the welding-die, whereupon he disconnects the hook from the draw-chain and the tongs, and returns to front of the draw-bench to repeat the operation. In the performance of his duties, the hook-runner is liable to be `severely injured from various causes. As there are several hook-runners for each draw-bench, their Wages amount to a large sum. It is the principal object of my invention to provide means for automatically connecting the tongs to the draw-chain and automatically disconnectin the same from the tongs, thereby dispensing entirely with the' hook-runners. Y

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the'welded pipe may, after the tongs have been disconnectedfrom the draw-chain, be allowed to continue its rectilinear course beyond the rear end of the draw-bench, or be guided laterally away from the draw-bench.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I `igure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying one form of my invention, parts being broken away and in section; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section along the side of the draw-chain; Fig. 3, a vertical crosssection on the line III-III, Fig. 2; Fig. l. a plan view of a portion of the drawchain with one of the tongs-pulling dogs or holders; Fig. 5, a section of a portion of the draw-bench, showing the operation of one of the tongs-pulling dogs and the tripper therefor when the pipe with the tongs attached is to be guided laterally away from the drawbench; and Fig. 6, a side elevation of the chain-guiding roller at the rear of the draw-bench. Fig.l7, is a plan of a portlon of a drawing-chain differing from that shown on Fig. 4.

On the drawings, 1 is a furnace for heating the skelp to a welding heat, there being in the furnace the front opening 2, through flanges. 9 which overlap the sides of the .draw-cham, having a longitudinal space. in

which the upper or tongs-pulling member of the forked dog 10 may travel.

The dog 10 is a bell-crank lever having its angle pivoted about one of the pivots 11 of the draw-chain. Preferably the angle between the members or arms of the dog 0r lever 10 is somewhat greater than a right angle, so that, when the horizontal member 12 rides on the top face of the liner 13, which lies on the bottom of the chain-guide channel, the upstanding member 14, which extends above the flanges 9, will be inclined slightly in the direction of the travel ofthe draw-chain, in order to more securely hold the knob or headed end 15 on the tongs from rising out of the vertical open slot .16 in the upper end of the member 14, and to prevent t e dog from rotating when passing over the slot 17 y under conditions to be described hereinafter. The member 12 has the upper face of its rear end cut out so that it may lie between the liner 13 and the chain-pivot next behind the one about which it ispivoted, so that the dog cannot be oscillated toward the'rear of the bench.

18 represents a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends on the ivot 19 on the drawbench. This lever hes diagonally over the draw-chain and the slot 17. The lower edge of the lever is provided with a horizontal tripping plate 2O extending toward the front.

of the draw-bench, and having its free or front edge arranged to engage the member 14 between the draw-chain and the knob 15 on the tongs. The end of the lever 18, not

of metal arranged to be engaged by the knob 15 of the tongs at the time of the release of the tongs from the member 14, this lever 18 actin as a guide to direct the tongs and the attac ed pipe diagonally away from the chain and draw-bench.

' 25 is the ordinary welding-bell or die v'resting on the bell-holder` 26 at the front of the draw-bench. .u

27 and 28 are inclined guides supported on the standards 29 and 30 at opposite sides of the chain, and arranged to guide the tongs down into position for the slot 16 in the member 14 Ato receive 'the tongs just back of.

the knob or headed end 15. The guides 27 and 28 are pivoted to their respective standards, and have their lower endsin line with the paths of the branches of the member 14 of the dog 10 so that the tongs will be guided into line with the slot 16.

The chain passes from the rear end of the draw-bench over the roller 32, having therein the annular groove 31 suficiently deep to permit the member 12 of the dog 10 to pass while the links of the chain ride on the annular shoulders 33 at the sides of the groove 31.

The chain passes from the roller 32 over the sprocket-wheel 7 and then runs on the chain-guide 34 beneath the bed ofthe drawbench. This chain-guide is preferably in the form of a trough-or channel which leads the chain 6 forwardly to the roller 35 over which the chain is guided to the top of the draw-bench.

The chain 6 is provided with a suflicient number of dogs 10 to engage the tongs as f fast as the Welder secures the tongs to the skelp.

The operation of my invention is as :E01`

lows: The draw-chain is set in motion. The Welder fastens the tongs 3 to the front end of one of the skelp y36, slips` the bell 25 over the end of the tongs 3, slides the bell down the tongs until the bell is in front of the bellholder 26, and drops the tongs between` the guides 27 and 28, or throws the tongs against the guides, from which the knob 15 of the tongs drops into the path of one of the dogs 10. 'The first dog 10 that rises from the inclined bed 37 just back of the roller 35 receives the end of the tongs in the slot or fork 16 with the knob or headed end -15 in front of the member 14. The inclined bed 37 brings the dogs 10 up gradually into the plane of the tongs' lying on the chain and into tangential engagement with the tongs,

and thereby prevents lthe tongs-engaging dogs of the draw chain from knocking the tongs aside as the dogs enter the plane of the tongs. It has been found that if this incline 37 be dispensed with and the roller 35 be brought up to the plane of the bed of the draw bench, the clogs traveling up around the ioller will strike upward blows on the tongs and flip them oil the chain.

The resistance offered by the skelp 36 in the bell 25 tends to rotate the dog 10 from right to left, but the Contact of the member 12 with the bed of the chain-guide channel and the engagement of the links to which the dogl is secured, with the overhanging flanges 9 prevent the rotation of the dog. The pipe is drawn entirely through the bell on the chain before the dog reaches the slot, so that there is no tendency of the dogto overturn the slot. If the dog should rotate into the slot it can be turned back before it reaches the end of the slot. When the skelp has been drawn entirely through the bell, the resultant pipe 38 with the tongs attached rides on the chain toward the rear end of the bench, and if the lever 18 has been thrown by the lever 24 to the dotted position (Fig. 1), the pipe and tongs will be carried by the chain not only to the rear of the draw-bench, but also through the guide 39 and into the pass of the sizing rolls 40 situated close to the end of the bench and in line with the bench 1 when in its central position (Fig. 1'). When the dog 10 reaches the roller 32, the member 12 is free to enter the groove 31 and thedog 10 begins to descend and rotate from rightto left, and release the tongs, which with the pipe pass directly through the guide 39 and into the pass of the rolls 40. The chain rides on the guide 34 with the members 12 of -the dogs 10 extending upwardly. When the dogs arrive close to the roller 35, the members 'l2 engage with the horizontal pin 41 which rotates the dog so as to pass over the roller 35 with the member 12 in line with the adjacent chain-links.

The pipe has entirely left the bell and is on the chain before the dog reaches the slot, so that there is no tendency of the do t0 overturn in the slot. lf the dog shoul rotate in the slot, no harm will be done, as it will be turned back before it reaches the end of the slot.

If itis desired to reheat the pipes and rep eat the welding operation, or if it is desired for any other reason to have the pipes discharged laterally from the draw-bench, the lever 24 is actuated so as to throw the lever 18 across the draw-bench, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and The voperation proceeds as described until the dog 10 arrives at thc slot 17. The member 14 of the. dog 10 engages the' tripping plate 20, below the knob 15 on the tongs and causes the dog to rotate from right to left, so that the member l2 swings into the slot 17 and the member 14 swings down away from the tongs so as to y pass beneath the lever 18, as shown in Fig.

5. After the dog l() has passed the'lever 18 sutiiciently far to enable the member 14 to rise 'without engaging the lever 18, the

member@ 12 engages the rounded rear end of the slfo't 17 (Fig. 5), which restores the dog to its normal position, but the slot 17 may' be left open to the rear of the bench if preferred.

Fig. 7 fshows the chain 6 having its outer links with inturned bosses 42 in openings in the inneitI links, the pins 11a pass through the bosses and hold thev links from relative lateral movement. The dog 10 is pivoted on certain of the bosses 42, instead of the pins 11a.-

The chain-guide 34 is to be preferred to idle rollers. The swinging dogs 10.would engage each of the rollers and make considerable noise and give severe shocks to the draw-chain.A The trough 34 provides a comparatively noiseless return of the chain with a minimum of noise and of shock to the chain'and dogs. A v

f This application is a continuation in part of my application, Serial Number 597,193, filed December 14, 1910.

I claim'- l. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of a welding die, skelp-engaging tongs and a draw bench having an endless draw chain having travel thereon, one or moreforked dogs having endless travel with the drawl vchain'and adapted to engage the end of tongs while the chain isftraveling and-.pull the skelp through the welding .d1e,and centering means for the tongs arranged toposition them in the path of the dog or dogs, substantially as described.

2. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, a drawbench, an endless draw-chain having travel thereon, a welding die, skelp-engaging tongs, a` dog having endless travel with the drawchain and provided with a fork to engage the end of said tongs and pull the skelp through` the welding-die, and means for causing the dog to be released from the tongs.

3. Ina' plpe-drawing apparatus, a drawbench with -a slot therein, an endless drawchain having travel' over the slot,` a Welding-die, a skelp engaging device, a dog having endless travel with the draw-chain and provided with `a member for engaging the skelp-engaging device and pulling the skelp through the welding-die, the dog being provided with a member having travel opposite the said slot and arranged to engage the draw-bench to prevent the release of the dog from the skelp-engaging device, and means for forcing the irst member away from the skelp-engaging device, and the second member into the silot.

4, In a pipe-drawing apparatus, aV drawtravel with the draw-chain and provided with a member for engaging lhrl skclpengaging device and pulling thu skelp through the welding-die` theI dog heilig pivoted to the chain and provided with a member arranged to prevent the release of the dog from the skelp-engaging device.

5. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, a welding die, a skelp-engaging device, an endless traveling draW-chain, a draw-bench on which the chain travels, there being a slot in the draw-bench beneath the chain, a bellcrank dog pivoted to the draw-chain, one member of the dog being arranged to engage with the draw-bench channel-guide and the other member being provided with means for engaging the skelp-engaging device and pulling the same through the welding die, and means to prevent the drawchain from rising from the said slot permitting one member of the dog to rotate through the same when the' other member is released/from the skelp-engaging device.

6. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, a welding die, a skelpaengaging device, an endless traveling draw-chain, a draw-bench provided with a channel-guide to receive the chain, a bell-crank dog pivoted to the drawchain, one member of the do being arranged to rest on the channe -guide, and the other member being provided with means for engaging the skelp-engaging device and pulling the same through the welding die, and a roller at the rear end of the bench, over which the chain travels, said roller having an annular groove to receive the first member of the dog.

7. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, weldingtongs, an endlesstraveling draw-chain, a draw-bench on which the chain travels, a bell-crank dog pivoted to the chain, one member of the dog being arranged to engage with the draw-bench and the other member being provided with means .for engaging the tongs, a chain-guiding roller at the rear end of the draw-bench, the chain having downward travel from the said roller and the roller having in line with the first member of the do a circumferential groove to receive the saidl first member as the dog travels downwardly withthe chain.

t 8. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the comdrawn through the Welding bell, comprising a draw bench having an endless chain, means for Iactuatingsaid chain, means on the chain adapted to automatically engage the tongs reins and draw skelp gripped by the 4tongs lengthwise over the draw bench, and centering mechanism arranged to osition the tongs centrally in the path o the chain-engaging means, substantlally as described.

10. Pipe-drawing apparatus having tongs by which the pipeskelp is gripped and drawn through the welding bell, comprising a draw bench having an endless chain thereon, means for continuously driving the chain, means automatically engagin with the tongs reins adapted to rapple with the reins when the tongs are aced in position on the draw bench and raw skel in the 'y rip 'of the tongs lengthwise over t e draw ench, the said apparatus being arranged to prevent the tongsengaging means from nocking the tongs aside as they enter theplane ofthe tongs, and centerin means to position the tongs centrally in t e ath of the tongs-engaging means, substaninally as described.

11. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of av welding die, skelp-engaging tongs, and a draw bench having an endless draw chain having travel thereon, means having travel with the draw chain for engaging the tongs to pull the skelp through the weldingl die and means cooperating with the tongs-.engaging means to automatically release the tongs after the skelp has been pulled through the welding die; substantially as described.

12. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of aV welding die, skelp-engaging tongs, and a draw bench having an en less draw chain having travel thereon, means having endless travel fwith the draw chain for engaging the tongs to pull the skelp through the welding die, and centeringmeans acting automatically to position the tongs in the path of the tongs-engaging means; substantially as described.

13. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of a Welding die, skelp-enga ing tongs, and a draw bench having an en less draw chain having travel thereon, means having endless travel with the draw chain for engaging the tongs to pull the skelp through the welding die, and a downwardly converging guide into which the Welder may drop the ton s for positioning the tongs in the path of t e tongs-engaging means; substantially as described.

14. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the com-v bination of a welding die, skelp-engaging tongs, and a draw bench having an endless draw chain having travel thereon and upon which the tongs are dropped by the Welder, means having endless travel with the draw chain for engaging the tongs to pull the skelp through the welding die, and means acting automaticall to position the tongs dropped by the we der in the path of the tongs-engaging means;.substantially as described.

15. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of a welding die, skelp-enga 'ng tongs, and a draw bench having an en less drawchain having travel thereon, means having endless travel with the draw chain and adapted to engage the ends of said tongs while the chain is traveling and pull the skelp through the welding die, said parts being constructed and arranged to automatically prevent the tongs-engaging means of the draw chain from knocking the tongs aside as they enter the plane of the tongs lying on the chain; substantially as described. 16. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of a welding die, skelp-enga lng tongs,and a draw bench having an en less draw chain having travel thereon, means having endless travel with the draw chain for engaging said tongs to pull the skelp through the welding die, and means for leading. the chain along a gradual incline into the plane of the tongs lying on the chain so as to prevent the tongs-engaging means from knocking the tongs aside; substantially as described.

17. In a pipe-drawing apparatus, the combination of awelding die, skelp-enga 'ng tongs, and a draw bench havingan en less draw chain having travel thereon, and

means having travel with the draw chain and acting automatically to engage the tongs and pull the skelp through the welding die and cooperating meansacting automaticallyto release the tongs after the skelp has been pulled through the Welding die; substantially as described.

Signed at Youngstown, Ohio, this 20th day of June, A. D. 1912.

WILLIAM M. NECKERMA-. Witnesses:

J. J. CONNOR,

v l BEN LEWIS. 

